Around Campus
TRIBUTE - Joseph E. Pryor
Board extends Burks’ contract
Redesigned logo revealed
Trustees add three new members
Finley assistant VP for adult education
Thompson national education fellow
New admissions site unveiled
Art program offers European city, countryside
Christian service honored at Lectureship 2006
Senior involvement initiated
International program slated for Zambia
Nursing dean Certified Nurse Educator
Academic quiz team successful in preseason
Reading Room
Strolling for the Cure debuts
Spring Sing celebrates connections
TRIBUTE
Joseph E. Pryor 1937
A man for all seasons
By Clifton L. Ganus Jr., chancellor
Joseph E. Pryor, or Dr. Joe as most of us knew him, was truly a great and good man - a man for all seasons. He was well-educated, brilliant in mind, diverse in interests, dedicated to excellence and hard work, trusting in God, and friendly and loving to all as he faithfully served his Creator, especially in that place called Harding. Despite his great achievements, he was a humble man, a trait he learned from his father, L.E. Pryor, who taught school and preached the Gospel.
Joe got his first taste of Christian education when, at 5 years of age, he enrolled in first grade at Arkansas Christian College in Morrilton, Ark. Later in the spring of 1926, he attended fifth grade at Harding Academy before his family moved to Kentucky, where his dad preached and taught school. In 1933, as a 15-year-old freshman, he enrolled at Harding and began a long, symbiotic relationship with a school that he dearly loved. In 1934 he helped move the school to Searcy.
He was a busy student, excelling in both academics and athletics. He lettered in basketball and track, edited the Bison and Petit Jean yearbook, participated in drama, and led TNT men’s social club and Alpha Honor Society. For four-straight years he was Honor Student for the Petit Jean and in 1937 was valedictorian at age 19.
Joe dreamed of studying to be a doctor at Vanderbilt University, but Harding’s president, Dr. George S. Benson, strongly encouraged him to prepare to return to teach math and physical science. He received his master’s degree and Ph.D. in these subjects while teaching at Louisiana State University. His record was outstanding, and he returned to teach at Harding in 1944. During the summers he studied at University of Minnesota and University of Chicago.
President Benson recognized great ability and had a tendency to add responsibilities without removing others. As a result, Joe taught physical science from 1944 to 1989, chaired the department from 1944 to 1963, and served as academic dean from 1960 to 1983 and vice president for academic affairs from 1972 to 1983. He was an outstanding teacher, tough and demanding but fair and helpful to the students. In addition, for four decades he sponsored TNT and Petit Jean yearbook, which won All-American awards 29 times while under his direction.
He was Harding’s faculty representative to the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference for 31 years and sponsored Alpha Chi, which he served as national secretary treasurer from 1970 to 1983 and executive director from 1983 to 1993. He also worked with Camp Wyldewood, Southern Christian Home, Zambia Christian Schools and many academic organizations.
Many honors and awards rightfully came his way. He was the University’s Distinguished Alumnus in 1974. He received the Dean of Deans Award from the Christian College Deans in 1982. In 1990 he was elected to the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame and the NAIA Hall of Fame. He was in several listings of Who’s Who.
Joe loved College Church of Christ and served as deacon and elder. He was faithful and loyal to God and his people and always demonstrated great integrity. He will be greatly missed, but his spirit will live on in our lives and in the University. God hasn’t made many like him, but we pray that he will send us more humble servants in the likeness of Joseph E. Pryor.
Pryor died Oct. 27, 2006. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Bessie Mae Ledbetter (’46); a son, Joseph Byron (’92); two daughters, Beverly Jo Pryor (’76) and Susan Hodges (’82); and a granddaughter.
"My long association with Dr. Pryor kept alive my faith in human nature. If ever I doubted that good existed in the world, one thought of Dr. Pryor renewed my faith. If ever I became discouraged by hypocrisy in religion, I knew that one true Christian lived: Joe Pryor."
- Barbara Clark, former Alpha Chi National Council member
Board extends Burks’ contract
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its semiannual meeting to continue the contract of President David B. Burks until 2013.
The announcement came Oct. 31 from Don Shores of Cave Springs, Ark., then chairman of the board.
Burks, 63, has been president of the institution since 1987. He is only the fourth individual to serve in this role.
“The board feels that Dr. Burks has done a tremendous job as president and feels strongly that he should continue for many years in the future,” said Shores. “We are pleased to extend his contract until he reaches age 70. We greatly value the leadership he has provided as president for the past 20 years.
“Harding has experienced unprecedented growth during this administration. Enrollment has risen from 2,767 in 1986 to 6,108 in the fall of 2006. More than $124 million in construction and renovation projects have been completed,” Shores added. “Endowment has grown from $22 million to more than $103 million.”
Shores also cited the growth of academic programs during Burks’ presidency. Included were six new international programs, plus satellite campuses in North Little Rock and Bentonville, Ark.
Under Burks’ leadership, the Stephens Scholarship Program was developed, the McNair Scholars Program was begun, and significant increases in undergraduate research through consortiums were initiated. The Honors College has expanded, and a curriculum was added in Physician Assistant Studies.
New degrees added during his tenure include bachelor of science degrees in electrical, mechanical and computer engineering; the master of science in marriage and family therapy; the master of business administration; and the doctorate in ministry. This fall, the University plans to begin offering the Pharm.D. degree.
Burks recently completed a six-year term as a trustee for the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Universities, serving as chairman in 2002. He continues to serve the association as a consultant evaluator.
In other board news, elections held at the October meeting resulted in the following executive committee: Harry B. Risinger Jr. of Millington, Tenn., chairman; John O. Simmons of Columbia, Tenn., vice chairman; Jim Bill McInteer of Nashville, Tenn., secretary; and Paul R. Carter of Bentonville, Ark., treasurer.
Trustees add three new members
Danny Hawk of Richardson, Texas; Jeffrey L. Hearn of Harrison, Ark.; and James D. Holsombake of Panama City, Fla., have been named to the Board of Trustees. The decision was made at the semiannual meeting May 12.
Hawk is an independent automobile dealer in Plano, Texas. He spent many years in full-time ministry, serving most of that time as pulpit minister for Northside Church of Christ in Dallas. He continues to preach and speak at churches around Texas. He is active in several organizations that provide training and scholarships to those who want to become preachers.
He holds the bachelor of science and master of science degrees from Abilene Christian University. He and his wife, Karen, have a son who is a student at the University. Hawk serves as an elder at Waterview Church of Christ.
Hearn, an alumnus holding the bachelor of business administration degree, is chairman of the board of The North Star Companies, a diversified holding company of 19 different franchises and companies. He opened his first H&R Block office in 1985 in Harrison, Ark., and has now purchased or opened 14 additional offices in Arkansas, Colorado and Missouri.
He has served or is currently serving on numerous boards and councils including Sanctuary Inc. (a home for battered women), Boone County Farm Bureau, and Kiwanis Club. He also serves on the President’s Council and University Builder’s Club. He and his wife, Cyndie, have two children. Hearn is a deacon at Northside Church of Christ in Harrison.
Holsombake is a general contractor and developer who has been self-employed for 22 years. His civic involvement includes memberships on the board of directors at Coastal Community Bank and the President’s Council. He also serves as chairman of the Boys and Girls Club of Bay County capital campaign and is a foundation member of Gulf Coast Community College.
He received the bachelor of science degree from Louisiana State University. He and his wife, Marsha, have two daughters who are alumnae and a son who currently attends the University. Holsombake serves as an elder at Jenks Avenue Church of Christ in Panama City.
Two current board members, James Russell Burcham of Kennett, Mo., and Roy H. Sawyer of Sardis, Miss., changed to senior status at the May meeting. As senior members, they attend meetings and make comments, but they do not vote.
Hawk, Hearn and Holsombake attended their first meeting in October.
Finley assistant vice president for adult education
Dr. Tony Finley, dean of the Cannon-Clary College of Education, has been named assistant vice president for Adult and Extended Education, effective Jan. 1.
Reporting to the vice president for academic affairs, Finley’s duties include developing, managing and staffing the Center for Adult and Extended Education and advancing the role the University plays in degree completion and other adult educational markets. Finley retains his current title as dean of education and continues to lead that program.
In conjunction with the change, Dr. Donny Lee has been named assistant dean for the Cannon-Clary College of Education. He serves under Finley, assuming some of the responsibilities for directing and managing the undergraduate and graduate programs.
Said Dr. Larry Long, vice president for academic affairs, “I believe that both of these appointments will serve Harding and our students in important ways. Dr. Finley is a proven leader and an innovator of educational programs. I am looking for him to help develop our outreach to the adult and nontraditional educational market.
“Dr. Lee has contributed a great deal to the work of the College of Education and came to Harding with an outstanding record of leadership. Both will help us continue our tradition of excellence while providing vision for the future.”
The degree completion program allows students who have completed 60 or more hours of college credit and are 23 years or older to finish their undergraduate studies. The program’s intensive and accelerated track allows completion in a shorter time than normal.
Thompson national education fellow
Dr. Linda Thompson, director of the McNair Scholars Program, was inducted Oct. 19 as a Fellow of the American Council of Developmental Education Association. The organization is a collaboration of five professional groups whose members are involved in the fields of developmental education and learning assistance.
The criteria for the award are based on the nominee’s contribution to the fields and include scholarship, leadership and service. Nominees have served as officers in their regional chapters and/or at the national level, have published in the areas of developmental education and learning assistance, and have presented at regional and national conferences.
“The ACDEA fellows are a select group who are highly respected in our profession,” said Hilda Barrow, president of the National Association of Developmental Education, the organization that made the announcement of Thompson’s selection for induction.
“Linda is a dedicated woman, committed to her students and to our work. Her work with NADE has been exemplary as has been her service to Harding University through her many roles in student development and her involvement with campus activities on several levels.”
Thompson has served as president of ArkADE, co-chair of the 1996 NADE Conference, and NADE president in 2000-01. “Her presentations at chapter and national conferences have been impressive and represent a wide knowledge of our field and our students’ needs,” Barrow said.
Most recently, Thompson has served as review coordinator for NADE’s Certification Council. The goal of this NADE initiative is to train individuals in evaluation and assessment and to certify programs in two- and four-year institutions.
“Linda’s contribution to this effort has been invaluable,” Barrow said. “Personally, I feel honored to know Linda as a colleague and a friend. She is the very essence of what our profession is all about.”
New admissions site unveiled
A new admissions Web site has made it even easier for prospective students to learn about the University, contact their admissions advisers with questions, and apply online. According to Glenn Dillard, assistant vice president for enrollment management, 1,207 applications for fall 2007 have already been received, 94 more than this time last year.
Says Dr. Jim Carr, executive vice president, “It is my strong belief that prospective students and their parents are looking for institutions today that offer value and values. I believe that Harding University offers the best value in all of higher education, which is outstanding quality at a very reasonable price. When combined with the terrific financial value, the values the University supports - faith, freedom, family, academic excellence, integrity - indeed make it a special place. When one is aware of these attributes, it is no surprise that applications continue to grow at such a rapid rate.”
Students are encouraged to visit www.harding.edu/admissions.
“As Leonardo explored painting, he recognized a problem - a contradiction. Nature has no outlines. This constant concern of no edge is one of the great accomplishments of Leonardo. What the absence of outline does is leave something to the viewer’s imagination.”
- Dr. David Rosand, Meyer Schapiro Professor of Art History at Columbia University, presenting at a seminar titled “Leonardo da Vinci and Creation” Oct. 9 as part of the L.C. Sears Collegiate Seminar Series sponsored by the Honors College.
Art program offers European city, countryside
This summer, art students seeking an international experience do not have to choose between a fast-paced urban locale and a remote rural setting - they can have both.
From sleek modern skyscrapers to lush fields of flowers, students from the Department of Art and Design will alternate between the two extremes in a program aptly titled Cityscapes & Landscapes.
The program begins with two weeks of intense study and research on campus, followed by nine weeks of travel through France and England, where students and faculty will journal, sketch, paint and photograph the busy streets and country scenery. They will also visit museums and other sites and closely examine architecture and design.
“London and Paris provide so much art, history, food and life that a traveler needs time in the country - with its relaxed pace and beautiful vistas - to give the mind time to think and absorb,” says program co-director Stacy Schoen, assistant professor of art. “Many of the 18-20th century artists we mention to our students expressed a need to leave the city and spent time in the countryside; many even had country homes and studios.”
Cityscapes and landscapes are both necessary for this program, which seeks to compare and contrast the attitudes, sources, forms and progression of the fine arts in comparison with and in contradistinction to the street arts of graphic and industrial design, fashion and pop culture.
Explains Greg Clayton, co-director and associate professor of art, “We want to repeatedly ask, ‘How have peoples past and present expressed their beliefs through form and imagery, and how can I better express and share my own faith and values through the talents I have been given?’”
The art department’s first discipline-specific semester abroad was held summer 2005 at the University’s villa in Florence. Clayton and Schoen are excited about the opportunities this program can offer because it is not housed at any single location.
“We have access to a far broader range of art, design and culture - France and England have been tremendous sources of cultural, philosophical and political influence in recent centuries and are still quite influential today,” Clayton says. “Because of ongoing design in London and Paris, we will be able to see a much broader array of contemporary interiors, graphics, architecture, fashions and fine arts. Our intent is that this program be applicable to designers preparing to serve in the 21st century.”
Christian service honored at Lectureship 2006
President David B. Burks presented 10 Distinguished Christian Service Awards during Lectureship, Sept. 24-27.
Forrest Chapman of Hiawassee, Ga., received the award for 24 years as minister of North Avenue Church of Christ in Atlanta and 25 years of mission work in Canada, Romania and Trinidad.
Tom and Melody Eddins of Hohenwald, Tenn., were recognized for their service to education at the University and Greater Atlanta Christian Schools, as well as their involvement with international campaigns and missions.
Inspirational writer and speaker Sandra Humphrey of Mount Juliet, Tenn., was honored for her role as editor of Christian Woman magazine from 1984 to 2006.
Lona Mae James of Kennett, Mo., received the award for lifetime service to the church as a Bible class teacher for 84 years. She has worked as manager and cook at Bootheel Youth Camp and was a leader in forming the Dorcas benevolence program.
For their many years of service on behalf of campus ministry at University of Arkansas, Scott and Denise Karnes of Fayetteville, Ark., were honored. Scott is campus minister for North Street Church of Christ.
Dr. Lew and Sue Moore of Searcy, Ark., were cited for their service in the church. Lew has served as chairman of the University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program since its inception. He also serves as director of the Counseling Center.
Garry and Marilyn Neal of Sherwood, Ark., were recognized for their leadership at Levy Church of Christ in North Little Rock, Ark., where Garry is a preacher and elder. The Neals helped establish River City Ministry, a community outreach program.
For his many years of service to young people as editor of Teenage Christian magazine and as a minister, Jim Pounders, of Nashville, Tenn., received the award.
David and Linda Smith of Little Rock, Ark., were honored for their service to Pleasant Valley Church of Christ. They have encouraged medical students and missionary endeavors.
The Tammany Oaks Church of Christ in Mandeville, La., was honored for members’ efforts to coordinate Hurricane Katrina relief work with churches of Christ across the United States.
Senior involvement initiated
The University’s Institute for Church & Family has begun a senior outreach named Abundant Living. The goal is to include Christian seniors in more ministry efforts in their congregations and throughout the country.
Says Kay Gowen, director of senior outreach, “With seniors living longer and being more active than ever before, the next 20 years will see an incredible increase in the percentage of church members who are 55 and older.
“Christian seniors make up between one-fourth and one-half of our churches, yet many have stepped aside to make room for younger, more educated members. Many have felt pushed aside and disregarded.”
Abundant Living is pursuing partnerships with several programs that have connections with Christian seniors, including Christian college lectureships, elderhostels and retirement villages, as well as such organizations as Sojourners, Let’s Start Talking Ministry, Christian Care Centers, and Pruett Gerontology Center at Abilene Christian University.
Immediate plans include beginning a yearly rotating seminar, which will launch in Branson, Mo., in October and a quarterly magazine.
For more information, please contact Gowen at (501) 279-4660 or visit www.churchandfamily.net.
International program slated for Zambia
Beginning in fall 2007, the University will launch its seventh international studies program, this time in Zambia, Africa.
The selected site - the Namwianga Mission in Kalomo, Zambia - operates an elementary, junior high and high school; a teachers college; a medical clinic; an orphanage; a home for “street kids”; and a working farm that feeds all students. The site was chosen after Dr. Jeffrey T. Hopper, dean of International Programs, and Dr. Monte Cox, director of the Center for World Missions, participated in a survey trip this summer of Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia.
The Namwianga Mission board unanimously approved the University’s proposed partnership Sept. 30, and Hopper and Cox presented the new program to the student body in chapel Oct. 2.
“Student response to the announcement of this program has been overwhelming, more convincing than for any other new program we have begun,” Hopper said.
The program’s emphasis is health care missions, and goals include increasing the number of students who serve as long-term medical, nursing or allied health care missionaries; teaching community health to students; and teaching and administering preventative health care to local patients and families.
“We believe that the Harding student body contains some of the most socially conscious and self-sacrificing individuals,” added Hopper. “The program in Zambia offers a focused outlet for these students to hone their skills and nurture what we hope will be a lifelong commitment to service in developing nations.”
Zambia is one of the most politically stable countries in Africa; its 73 different ethnic groups live side by side peacefully. Common childhood diseases such as measles, malnutrition and diarrhea contribute to an infant mortality rate of 89 per 1,000. Malaria, pneumonia and AIDS are major health problems among adults, with an estimated 17 percent living with HIV/AIDS.
“I suspect after spending three months in the heart of Africa, you will never be the same,” Cox told students in chapel. “There are so many ways to serve - concentrated on one compound.”
Though the semester in Zambia is targeted toward nursing, premedical, physician assistant and pharmacy students, it also offers practical benefits for other students. The College of Business Administration offers a degree in health care management, and Dean Bryan Burks has encouraged all students to participate in the new program because an understanding of globalization and an international worldview are critical for any area of business. College of Education Dean Tony Finley has told his students that they may apply the experience gained in cross-cultural education whether they teach in the United States or abroad.
Program prerequisites include an intensive two-week cross-cultural development course that trains students in intensive gardening, livestock management, water development and sanitation, appropriate technology, and primary health care, as well as Skills for Health Missions, a course designed to prepare an individual to function in a Third World mission health care setting.
Students will study the local tribal language, Chitonga, and interact with host families. They will tour South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania, as well as the Serengeti Plain, Mount Kilimanjaro, Victoria Falls and game parks.
In addition to hosting students, the campus will utilize the services of medical professionals, including physicians, physician assistants, nurses and nurse practitioners.
Unlike other International Programs, participation in the Zambia semester will be selective. After an open enrollment period, a committee will then choose 20 to 28 students from submitted applications.
For more information on the new program or any of the international studies programs, call Mary Lou Daughety, administrative assistant for International Programs, at (501) 279-4529.
Nursing dean Certified Nurse Educator
Dr. Cathleen Shultz, dean of the College of Nursing, has been designated a Certified Nurse Educator. Sponsored by the National League of Nursing, the honor is a mark of distinction for nursing faculty members.
The certification program began in September 2005. As of July 31, 2006, only 277 nurse educators have earned the CNE credential. Shultz is one of six nurses from Arkansas to have earned the certification.
Goals of the certification include distinguishing academic nursing education as a specialty area of practice; recognizing the knowledge, skills and abilities of nurse educators; and demonstrating a commitment to professional development, lifelong learning and nursing education as a career.
To be eligible, nurses must hold an active RN license, have earned a master’s or doctoral degree in nursing, and have been a full-time employee for an academic institution for at least two years. Academic nurse educators who meet the criteria must then pass an exam to attain certification.
Shultz serves as treasurer for the National League of Nursing, the leading professional association for nursing education. Headquartered in New York, the organization has more than 1,200 member schools and 17,000 members. She serves on the board of directors for the Southern Council of Collegiate Education in Nursing, headquartered in Atlanta. Shultz reviews manuscripts for the Southern Online Journal of Nursing Research and the Journal of Professional Nursing. She is a past president of the Arkansas Nurses’ Association and Arkansas State Board of Nursing.
Academic quiz team successful in preseason
There is nothing trivial about the reputation the University’s Academic Quiz Team has earned among its collegiate competitors. The team holds a preseason record of 36-4 and is looking forward to the spring season with a chance to win the 2007 National Academic Quiz Tournament.
“We’ve got an outstanding team this year,” said co-sponsor and Communication Department chair Mike James. “They have competed well against high-caliber competition.”
The A Team comprises Andrew Ferren of North Little Rock, Ark.; Brett Keller of Searcy; Ben Lamb of Zionsville, Ind.; Jason Loy of Hot Springs, Ark.; Jordan Nester of Jacksonville, Fla.; and Grant White of Searcy. Only three to five members participate in each competition.
The team won first place in the University of Oklahoma Route 66 Tournament Sept. 30 in Norman, then finished first again at the University of Tulsa Invitational Oct. 14. It finished second overall and placed first in the D-2 Division at the 2006 Academic Competition Federation Tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
“This is the best preseason we’ve ever had,” said Dr. Mark Elrod, political science professor and team co-sponsor. “It has given us a chance to improve and see where our weaknesses are.”
Strolling for the Cure debuts
Pink generally is considered a spring color. Yet every October millions don the hue in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, which raises money to support breast cancer research.
Last fall the University did its part to help support the research by hosting the first-ever Strolling for the Cure fund-raiser during Homecoming.
Liz Howell, director of alumni relations, came up with the idea following a visit to Princeton University, where she noticed several families walking around campus with strollers, and an alumni cruise in which the ship hosted a Cruising for the Cure benefit.
Wanting to offer an alternative to those unable to go to Little Rock for the Race for the Cure, Howell approached the Arkansas affiliate of the foundation with the idea and received approval.
“This was a simple, easy stroll,” Howell explained. “You didn’t have to be a runner, just a member of the community who cares about the issue and wants to make a difference.”
The stroll was held Oct. 28. More than 100 individuals participated in the event, and 28 registered as “virtual strollers,” donating money although not able to be present.
“The funds that we raise from events like these are wonderful, and we put them to good use,” said Sherrye McBryde, executive director of the Komen Foundation’s Arkansas Affiliate. “But what we have found is that the awareness these events raise is equally important.”
Louise Ganus, wife of former president Clifton L. Ganus, and Leah Burks, wife of current president David B. Burks, led the stroll through campus. Teresa McLeod, disabilities director, led the survivor group. All three are breast cancer survivors.
More than $2,500 was raised, 75 percent of which remains in state for use in grants and education programs, while the other 25 percent goes to the national office for research grants.
“From many of those grants have come new techniques and new medicines,” said McBryde. “I do believe one day we will find a cure.”
To learn more about participating in next year’s stroll, call the Office of Alumni Relations at (501) 279-4276.
Spring Sing celebrates connections
Hundreds of students will join under the theme “Camaraderie” for Spring Sing 2007, but not just because it is a favorite word of University President David B. Burks.
According to Spring Sing executive producer Steve Frye, “The theme is centered on the connections we make in life, the joy and excitement those bring, and the way the University makes it happen for thousands of people every year.
“One of the great joys of university life is finding lifelong friends - not just ones in class, but ones you live with every day of the week. Friends who share their lives, hopes and dreams. Friends who are more than names you have met, but people who have changed you forever. That is camaraderie. That is worth celebrating.”
Four individuals will lead this year’s production: sophomore hostess Elizabeth Harrell, a music major from Brentwood, Tenn.; third-year hostess Jillian Shackelford, a junior family and consumer sciences major from Bolivar, Tenn; sophomore host David Walton, a music education major from Nashville, Tenn.; and second-time host Travis Wisely, a senior middle-level math and science major from St. Louis, Mo.
The production will run April 5-7. Showtimes are 7 each evening with a 3 p.m. matinee April 7. Tickets are $10 April 5 and $12 for all other shows. Additionally, “The Tavern” will be performed in the Administration Auditorium April 6 at 7 p.m. and April 7 at 3 p.m. Tickets are $5. You may purchase tickets online at www.hardingtickets.com or by phone at (501) 279-4255.


Is Mexico’s Day of the Dead the same as Halloween in the United States? In China should Mr. Li’s wife be addressed as Mrs. Li? Is it possible to visit a mosque in Turkey during prayer time?
Founding Mothers tells stories, in their own words, of women who stayed behind to run family farms and businesses, of hardships during those days, and of love for family and devotion to the idea of a new government. These women were connected to each other through their letters even though they lived miles apart or served with their husbands overseas. Also interspersed in their reports of daily activities are thoughts on issues of the day.
Iran - just saying the word brings a flurry of memories to Americans as they reflect on hostages, Iran-Contra Scandal, terrorist threats, the Axis of Evil, etc. But how did the two countries get to this stage in their relationship? 
